13. Buying a Yacht in Sweden: Swedish Gold, Surveys, VAT and How to Buy Safely. With BoatsinSwede...

Is Sweden the best place to find a proper cruising yacht right now? In this special crossover episode, Berthon Scandinavia (https://berthonscandinavia.se/en/) join BoatsinSweden (https://www.youtube.com/@BoatsinSweden) to share a practical, buyer-focused guide to the Swedish used boat market, and how to navigate it safely if you are shopping from abroad. Host Ingus Purgalis from BoatsinSweden (https://www.youtube.com/@BoatsinSweden) is joined by Magnus Kullberg from Berthon Scandinavia (https://berthonscandinavia.se/en/) , a broker with nearly 15 years in the trade and roughly 400 boats sold. Together they strip away the romantic brochure talk and get into what actually matters when you are wiring serious money for a serious boat. First, they unpack why Scandinavian yachts earn the “Swedish Gold” reputation. It is not a fairytale. It is often down to storage and environment. Boats spend months ashore each year, many inside heated storage halls, and in large parts of Sweden they live in brackish or even fresh water. That can mean less corrosion, less wear in the places you do not immediately see, and a better chance of finding an older boat that still presents well. As Magnus puts it, “The fact that it is less salt makes a difference. And also the fact that the boats are up on the land for six months makes a difference.” They also cut through a common assumption about the weak Swedish Krona. Yes, it can help, but Magnus explains that many premium listings are benchmarked against the wider European market anyway. In other words, the buyer does not always get a miraculous discount just because of currency headlines. The real advantage is often condition, provenance, and a sensible seller. When owners push prices beyond reality, the market responds fast. “If we put the price too high… we don’t get any enquiries.” If you are buying internationally, the most valuable section is the step-by-step process: broker versus private sale, what legal protections apply when buying from a company, and why a proper survey is still the best investment you can make. Magnus is blunt about doing the work early: “If you do the work good from the beginning… we don’t have this type of problems.” In his experience, issues after completion are rare, and the goal is simple: no surprises, no drama, no long-distance arguments. They also tackle paperwork that can quietly wreck resale value later, especially VAT evidence and registration. If you plan to cruise across borders, you want clean proof from day one. “If you don’t have the paper, but you know that it is paid, then you cannot prove it. And then you have a problem.” It is not glamorous, but it can save you from years of friction when you move countries, change flag, or try to sell. Finally, they talk about how deals actually get done in the real world: deposits, time limits, exclusivity, escrow handling, and how brokers can hold funds back until launch and sea trial if a boat is sold while in winter storage. It is the unsexy machinery that keeps buyers and sellers safe when the numbers get big. And for anyone dreaming of bluewater cruising, there is a reminder that cuts through years of over-planning and refit procrastination: “Just buy a boat… and go.” Audio pulled from the original BoatsinSweden video (https://youtu.be/XHbX_Zls8kc?si=HOoakN1BCtE0hCBr) published Jan 9, 2026. Send us a message (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2528535/open_sms) Ingus Purgalis (https://www.youtube.com/@BoatsinSweden) Host of BoatsinSweden, focused on real-world boat buying and life afloat in Sweden. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.